In defense of Woodstock

September 02, 2009

Regarding the 40th anniversary of Woodstock, Carl Larson's Aug. 23 letter rekindles the cultural war of the 1960s. He mischaracterizes Woodstock as a gathering of Vietnam War protesters. The event (Aug. 15-18, 1969) was a peaceful music festival, not an anti-war rally. The event drew 400,000, who went to listen to some of the best music entertainers of that era. Certainly there was some anti-war sentiment there, but the majority in attendance just went for the music. Larson wonders why coverage of the Woodstock anniversary failed to mention the 109 servicemen who died in Vietnam that week. Yet I read and viewed many media references comparing Woodstock to what was happening in Vietnam at the time of the festival. This included the fact that 37 Americans died in combat on Aug. 18, the final day of the festival. Larson contrasts the heroes of Vietnam to the "cowards of Woodstock." Suggesting the Woodstock attendees were cowards defames a lot of decent people. Woodstock attendance represented a cross section of America's young people, good and bad. The festival crowd included Vietnam veterans as well as others who would later serve in Vietnam. Larson wrote that as the soldiers in Vietnam did their duty, the Woodstock "participants selfishly enjoyed themselves." This suggests that Americans should not enjoy themselves while our country is at war. Woodstock was one of the final weekends of summer leading up to Labor Day. Millions of Americans spent that weekend camping, fishing, golfing, going to the beach or just plain having fun. Selfish? I don't begrudge those who attended Woodstock and enjoyed themselves. I extend my thanks to those Americans who served in Vietnam that weekend. Looking back, I wish I could have attended that historic event, but circumstances did not permit it. I entered the Army on Aug. 15, 1969, the first day of Woodstock, and 150 days later I, too, was in Vietnam. Rick Benting Redfield